CLASSROOM PRACTICE CHATS

Education Week Teacher hosts regular live online chats for teachers on classroom management and instructional issues. The chats give readers a chance to discuss classroom problems and ideas with thought leaders in the field. The transcripts of these chats are collected on this page.

Recent Chat

Teaching in a 1-to-1 Laptop Classroom
Nancy Gardner, an English teacher at one of the most widely heralded student-laptop programs in the country, answers questions about how digital tools have changed her teaching.

June 6, 2013 In this chat, Elena Aguilar, author of The Art of Coaching, took questions on the complicated, often mysterious processes that go into what she calls "transformational coaching." She explored the challenges that teacher-coaches face in their day-to-day work in schools and offered practical tips on developing strong coaching relationships and outcomes.

March 26, 2014 Teachers today face a range of complex challenges, from seemingly impossible student-progress goals to ever-shifting instructional mandates to a general lack of resources and support. Is it really possible for anyone to flourish in this environment? Meenoo Rami, author of the recently published Thrive: 5 Ways to (Re)Invigorate Your Teaching, believes it is.

February 18, 2014 Teacher colleges have been criticized for failing to give aspiring and practicing educators the skills they need to use technology to improve student instruction. In this chat, hear how higher education institutions are heading in new directions on that front.

November 25, 2013 Carol Kosnitsky and Barbara Van Haren, experts in special education professional development, answered your questions about incorporating the Common Core State Standards into individualized education programs, or IEPs.

August 29, 2013 In this live chat, Thomas Fowler-Finn, author of Leading Instructional Rounds in Education, answered questions about how the instructional-rounds system works and the way this monthly process can change schools.

May 31, 2013 Our guests discussed how digital curricula changes the role of the teacher and puts students at the center of their own learning, and they outlined helpful techniques in finding and vetting digital resources.

May 15, 2013 During this online chat, Maddie Witter, author of Reading Without Limits, offered practical strategies teachers can begin using "on Monday" to improve reading skills and motivation for kids across ability and grade levels. She answered questions on how implementing a combination of choice, shared, and guided reading can better prepare students for independent reading tasks.

April 2, 2013 In this chat, Kelley King, the author of Writing the Playbook: A Practitioner's Guide to Creating a Boy-Friendly School, discussed the differences in the ways boys and girls learn and identify common school practices that have unintended negative outcomes for boys. She also answered your questions about closing gender gaps in academic achievement, with focused advice on professional development, relationship building, schoolwide planning, and instructional strategies.

March 6, 2013 In this chat, Kathy T. Glass, author of Mapping Comprehensive Units to the ELA Common Core Standards, discussed how to translate the new Reading/ELA standards into effective curriculum units. She discussed developing unit maps, differentiating instruction, making connections across units, and building common core-aligned lessons that are rigorous and relevant.

February 8, 2013 During this online chat, Dr. Thomas Armstrong explained a paradigm shift in which general and special educators focus on students' aptitudes, not their needs and difficulties, in order to effectively differentiate instruction. He answered questions about universal design for learning, the components of positive learning environments, and the strengths typically associated with particular disability categories.

January 8, 2013 In this chat, a teacher and school tech coordinator will take your questions on using iPads and other digital tablets for instruction and provide tips on maximizing their impact on student learning.

December 19, 2012 In this live chat, Jim Knight, author of High-Impact Instruction: A Framework for Great Teaching, discussed the teaching practices that, after 10 years of working with instructional coaches, he's found make the greatest difference in student learning.

November 13, 2012 In this live chat, author Doug Lemov answered questions on why practice is critical for effective teaching and what steps educators can take to integrate it into their work. In doing so, he explored themes from his newest book, Practice Perfect, such as how to design successful practice sessions, the role of feedback, and ways to instill a culture of practice at your school.

October 11, 2012 In this free live chat, Larry Ferlazzo and Katie Hull Sypnieski, co-authors of the recently published The ESL/ELL Teacher's Survival Guide, discussed best practices and strategies for working with second-language students and answered your questions on specific issues and challenges in ELL instruction.

September 18, 2012 In this chat, Maia Heyck-Merlin, author of the recently published The Together Teacher: Plan Ahead, Get Organized and Save Time!, offered advice on getting this school year off to a better, more orderly start.

May 18, 2012 This live chat explored how mathematics instruction could shift under the Common Core State Standards initiative, and the related professional-development needs—and challenges—for teachers.

May 18, 2012 This live chat explored how mathematics instruction could shift under the Common Core State Standards initiative, and the related professional-development needs—and challenges—for teachers.